You were blind only while you drum? I've thought of if there was an famous drummer that was blind.But I couldn't think of any. I wouldn't mind it at all. The only thing you need for the drums is your hearing; memorize your kit and you'd do fine being a blind drummer. Plus you could probably have more creative ideas because you have more sensitive hearing than usual and such.

A couple of times I practiced with the lights off, which was very fun. I usually kind of close my eyes while I play, but having it pitch black makes a difference for some reason. Any thoughts or anything?

I always tend to close my eyes while I'm playing, then somehow my stick playing the hihat ends up on the underside of the hihat. Until my coordination improves, I'm gonna think I should play with the lights on and eyes open.

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree more. While I realize that when you close your eyes you free up considerable brain power that was being used for vision, allowing you to become more creative and less inhibited, it's a bad habit to get in to (my opinion) On stage, you need all your wits and seeing everything is key to that. I remember attending open mics where the guitar player was trying to point out accents to the drummer, and the drummers eyes were closed, he was lost in his own mind, and he looked like a smacked *** for not being aware. (No I wasn't the drummer ha ha) You can anticipate pauses in a soloists solo if you watch them close, you can make eye contact with the crowd (it looks good to be bright eyed and engaged in the situation), but mostly you don't want to miss any visual communications with your fellow musicians. It looks good when people play with and off one another instead of being in their own world. In the zone of the groove, I like to focus on a visual point at least 10 feet straight in front of me when I play. It gives my ears a larger perspective and it's easier for me to hear the net effect of the entire band as opposed to "my drum part" When I solo, I'll close my eyes, I'm still working on that part, you tend to go into your own world when you close your eyes, not a good thing generally.

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree more. While I realize that when you close your eyes you free up considerable brain power that was being used for vision, allowing you to become more creative and less inhibited, it's a bad habit to get in to (my opinion) On stage, you need all your wits and seeing everything is key to that. I remember attending open mics where the guitar player was trying to point out accents to the drummer, and the drummers eyes were closed, he was lost in his own mind, and he looked like a smacked *** for not being aware. (No I wasn't the drummer ha ha) You can anticipate pauses in a soloists solo if you watch them close, you can make eye contact with the crowd (it looks good to be bright eyed and engaged in the situation), but mostly you don't want to miss any visual communications with your fellow musicians. It looks good when people play with and off one another instead of being in their own world. In the zone of the groove, I like to focus on a visual point at least 10 feet straight in front of me when I play. It gives my ears a larger perspective and it's easier for me to hear the net effect of the entire band as opposed to "my drum part" When I solo, I'll close my eyes, I'm still working on that part, you tend to go into your own world when you close your eyes, not a good thing generally.

That does makes sense, I forgot about the parts where you do have to look at your guitar players and such to be able to end the song accurately and with the most feel. The communication thing I didn't think about too. I wouldn't think that looking at the audience would matter much since I usually can't get a good view of them. I like to stare at something too when I play but I sometimes get ADD when I do that. The getting lost in your own world makes sense of it not being as good as I thought it might be. It is fun to play in your own world but in a gig that wouldn't be much helpful.

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Originally Posted by DrummerDavid

I don't think I want to be blind....sorry.

Ha not really in general would I want to be blind, but they have some advantages when it comes to drumming, I think. But of course they also have disadvantages like everyone else.

Plus you could probably have more creative ideas because you have more sensitive hearing than usual and such.

I don't know if being blind or not would have any real effect on the parts played. Drumming is more inspired from the heart and mind, than from any visual or non-visual contexts. When Stevie Wonder recorded his keyboard and drum parts, they were certainly inspired, but weren't any better or worse for his being blind than a studio musician would have done if he read the same music that Stevie dictated/played for transcription.

There are other physicalities that could be even more detrimental to a drummer, such as Rik Allen (Def Leppard) having one arm, who still plays the parts of a two-armed drummer. And going back a few years, Sandy Nelson lost a leg in a motorcycle accident, but you'd never know it by the way the played. Moulty, the drummer for The Barbarians ('60s band) had a hook for a hand (they didn't have lifelike prosthetics then) and still managed to hold a stick.

Yeah...Stevie could play ANYTHING. He'd do entire tracks by himself (can't think of the album that he recorded and played all instruments on now).

It's well known that a disability in one of your senses will make the rest more sensitive. Blind folks are known to have much more keen hearing, touch, smell, etc.

It's not a bad idea every now and then to at least take your eyes off of your drums while you're playing and maybe look forward at the band/audience or somewhere else in the room while you're practicing. I'm pulling my face out of the drums more now and it's definitely more relaxing for me.

When I'm not looking INTO my drums I'm worried less about the details and I'm more able to just play and "feel" the phrases that I want to pull out of the drums. Hopefully that makes some kind of sense.

yes it would be kind of cool but there would be many downfalls. i was jaming with my friend and i wrote a few songs for guitar and drums and he spaces off and he is like he is blind and we didnt get through one song

__________________"Music is the only thing that makes since any more, cherish it, dont waste it."

I don't know if being blind or not would have any real effect on the parts played. Drumming is more inspired from the heart and mind, than from any visual or non-visual contexts. When Stevie Wonder recorded his keyboard and drum parts, they were certainly inspired, but weren't any better or worse for his being blind than a studio musician would have done if he read the same music that Stevie dictated/played for transcription.

There are other physicalities that could be even more detrimental to a drummer, such as Rik Allen (Def Leppard) having one arm, who still plays the parts of a two-armed drummer. And going back a few years, Sandy Nelson lost a leg in a motorcycle accident, but you'd never know it by the way the played. Moulty, the drummer for The Barbarians ('60s band) had a hook for a hand (they didn't have lifelike prosthetics then) and still managed to hold a stick.

Bermuda

I didn't know that about any of those drummers, and didn't really know that about Stevie Wonder. He's a great musician and singer. I love his music. I want to look up some of those drummers though...now I am curious. But it is true that the drums are mostly if not all of it is inspired from the heart and mind; that is where you get most the ideas...not just by hearing. Thanks for the list of drummers Bermuda =]

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Originally Posted by darkstar442

yes it would be kind of cool but there would be many downfalls. i was jaming with my friend and i wrote a few songs for guitar and drums and he spaces off and he is like he is blind and we didnt get through one song

Ha, that's funny. I think it is good to be free and space out some times, but not when you are kinda jaming with some one else. If the guitar dude would be spacing out, I would get physically tired of playing (I've done it before) because of kinda the fast temp of the beat, and funky groove. Maybe that's just me finding out that I might just be out of shape, but it has happened.